A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards

I thought the parallel between Edwards and Ben Franklin was extremely helpful given most people are more familiar with Franklin than with Edwards. It was also helpful to see how Edwards was influenced by the Puritans given he lived decades removed from their influence. Ultimately, I was struck by Marsden’s focus on Edwards’ short-comings.

A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards deserves to be read or listened to by anyone interested in 1) Christian history, 2) Reformed Christian history, or 3) American history. It can be said that Edwards impacted every area of American history during his journey on this earth. It can also be said that he is still influencing countless Christians to this day. Was he a lightning rod for conflict? Yes, but then again so was Moses. If you have not read or listened to this book, you should add it to your “read immediately” pile.

Terry Delaney, ChristianBookNotes.com

(Posted on 10/9/09)